Tag Archives: Trump Administration

By Hunton & Williams LLP on December 11, 2017 Posted in EnvironmentalAs reported in The Nickel Report, on Thursday, the Senate confirmed Susan Parker Bodine as the Assistant Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance (“OECA”). OECA, the chief enforcement arm of EPA, coordinates the agency’s enforcement of numerous federal environmental laws within its authority. Click here to read the full… Continue Reading

By Hunton & Williams LLP on March 16, 2017 Posted in Construction & Design,PHMSA,Pipeline Safety Act,PolicyThe Department of Commence published a request for comments related to implementation of the January 24, 2017 Executive Memorandum regarding "Construction of American Pipelines." The short Memorandum directs the Secretary of Commerce to “develop a plan under which all new pipelines, as well as retrofitted, repaired, or expanded pipelines, inside the borders of the United States, including portions of pipelines, use materials and equipment produced in the United States, to the maximum extent possible and to the extent permitted by law.” The Commerce Department is directed to submit its Plan to the President within 180 days, or by July 23, 2017. The Memorandum also notes that “produced in the United States” excludes manufacture of any components or any assembly done abroad, but provides no further clarification on applicability.… Continue Reading

By Hunton & Williams LLP on January 30, 2017 Posted in Administrative Guidance,Administrative Rulemaking,PHMSA,Pipeline Safety Act,PolicyPresident Trump signed another Executive Order (EO) on January 30, 2017, entitled ﻿Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs. The new EO, applicable to the entire Executive Branch, including all federal administrative agencies, makes a straightforward directive: “…for every one new regulation issued, at least two prior regulations be identified for elimination.” The Order goes on to state that the costs associated with any new regulations may not exceed the savings realized by repealing at least two prior regulations (“the total incremental cost of all new regulations…shall be no greater than zero.”).… Continue Reading

By Hunton & Williams LLP on January 25, 2017 Posted in Construction & Design,Environmental,PolicyIn his first days as President, Donald Trump has issued several directives to expedite pipeline and energy infrastructure projects and bring pipe steel manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. Through an ﻿executive order, the President directed federal agencies to expedite environmental reviews and approvals for all infrastructure projects, with emphasis on “high priority” projects such as pipelines.… Continue Reading